Quote:
Originally Posted by flatbutt
Timely. I'll be practicing that with my new 686...when I get enough ammo.
Hey Jeff a question please. Right now I have mostly wad cutters to feed the 686. A few rounds of jacketed but not many.. With the cutters that's alot of raw lead going into a new barrel. Is it detrimental to a new barrel or should I wait until I can put more jacketed rounds through it first?
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I wouldn't worry in the least. Target wadcutter loads are loaded to very low velocities and will not typically lead a smooth, quality barrel such as that fitted to your new Smith. A lot of shooters will recommend "burnishing" a new barrel with jacketed bullet loads, and I have done this myself with several barrels meant for high velocity magnum level lead bullet loads, or for black powder target loads in rifle barrels. Until you reach those levels of velocity and pressure with lead bullets, though, I see no real advantage to this "burnishing" process. You can essentially shoot those low velocity, low pressure wadcutter loads forever from your "virgin" barrel with no worries regarding leading. Just shoot it and have fun. Some guys like to shoot a jacketed bullet or two at the end of the day just to scrape the lead out, thereby conserving those jacketed bullet loads, and it does work. I don't think it's entirely necessary with those target wadcutters, though.